A clearing agent and the Chairman of the Tin Can Island Ports Container Complex, Chief Chukwemeka Shedrack has called for support on indigenous car manufacturing companies, adding that it will help to reduce the issues of unemployment in the country.
He made this appeal recently in a chat with Shipping Position Daily in Lagos.
Speaking during the chat, the Container Complex boss said that it makes no sense importing vehicles at a very high price when we can manufacture them here.
“Talking about the fate of automobile manufacturing companies in Nigeria, you see let us be honest to ourselves, it doesn’t make any sense importing things we can produce in our own country. We have to encourage our own company here so that they can be able to do something and by the time we do that you will find out that the price of new cars will come down. Because when you calculate the price to buy such a car overseas, pay all the duties before selling, you will find out that the price will be very expensive than the one you manufacture here.
Speaking further, he said: ‘’It will also create employment opportunity for people here. The reason why we run from pillar to post is that we do not have any industry here the ones that are here are already going because of the policies. The stringent policies that the government is putting on them so all we are saying is that the government should give indigenous car manufacturing companies like Innoson, the support let them import all they need for the manufacturing of the vehicles here and start doing it here. It will help in reducing the cost of vehicles and creating more employment opportunities. I am very sure that his own vehicles will be cheaper compared to the ones we import overseas I am talking about new vehicles not used ones. If you are talking about new vehicles there is no way indigenous car will be more expensive than the ones that are imported”
On the recent partnership between the Nigerian Army and the indigenous car manufacturing company, Innoson, he applauded the move saying it is a welcome development even as he urged the government to assist beginners instead of focusing more on established firms.
“On the partnership between Innoson and the Nigerian Army, it is a welcomed idea anybody that can partner with any group or company that will benefit this country is a welcomed development. The major problem in this country is the government do not help starter they only focus on big and established companies unlike overseas where the government are very much concerned on helping starters”
He also charged the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to erect a suitable modern office space for clearing agents, adding that they are ready and willing to rent the spaces.
“What we are saying is that the NPA should look for a land builds a suitable office spaces so that people will go there rent a place and stay there. They should also build public toilet, car parks and canteen. So these are the things we want them to do”
He also pleaded with the Managing Director of NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman to ensure a proper investigation as to the cause of the fire outbreak is done even as he warned the people who are planning to sell the complex to desist from such act.
“I am talking about what concerns me, the last time MD of NPA came to this place we were very happy. We urge her to try as much as she can to investigate the cause of the fire outbreak here recently and she should also let the people that want to sell off this place desist from that. Because I don’t think they are selling this place in the interest of the NPA, there is no canteen here, toilet and parking spaces. Every day the police will be running up and down arresting people that they are blocking the road while the things that they are supposed to do they are not doing them. Last two year ago they passed a circular that nobody is allowed to stay on the road and some of the affected people came in here to rent and office apartment, not up to a year, they gave them quit notice”, he concluded.
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